Reading: Luke 1 v 68-79
Luke 3 v 1-6
Preparation features on all our agendas right now.
However much we might want to avoid it.
However much we might wish to ignore it.
However little we feel inclined.
All of us get caught up in preparing for Christmas.
Somehow, at this time of year, our socio-economic status is ignored.
At the very time when you might think that we’d be more conscious and more sensitive to those struggling with social and financial burdens, with lack of opportunity, with hardship of all kinds, everyone becomes lumped in a common mass of writhing humanity, lunging haphazardly into preparing for Christmas.
Our gospel readings this morning focus on preparation.
I think, technically, we should only have read one of those passages from Luke’s gospel today but, since I couldn’t decide which one to read, I did that typically woman thing and chose both!
Firstly, we have Zechariah, giving glory to God over the birth of his son, the one who was born to prepare the way for the Messiah.
Zechariah had been struck dumb from the time he was told about the pregnancy but, after the birth, his tongue was released and what a speech.
I don’t recall Idris being quite as eloquent when he beheld our first born!
What is even more amazing is that, filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah was waxing eloquent and praising God that his son was going to be allowed to play second fiddle, that his son was going to be allowed to prepare the way of the Lord.
In our culture of winners and losers, of humiliating reality TV shows where everyone wants to come out on top, Zechariah’s attitude seems all the more amazing.
He was honoured to have fathered the child who would grow and who would be called to be a prophet of the Most High.
A wonderful speech, filled with the spirit and with the grace of God.
That baby has grown.
And now begins to fulfil the purpose for which he was born.
Going ahead of Jesus to prepare people for his advent.
How many of us would settle for that?
How many of us would be content with never actually seeing the fruits of our endeavours, content with the knowledge that we’re doing our bit, we’re sowing the seed that others will harvest.
To faithfully prepare the way.
Still.
To keep on listening for God’s voice coming from the wilderness.
And to follow God’s instructions.
It involves today, as it did then, repentance.
A turning around, taking a new direction.
And that puts preparation into a whole new light.
A new and difficult light.
For who among us wants to change course?
Who among us wants to leave all the things we’ve grown accustomed to?
Leave the patterns we’re used to, to follow a new and unfamiliar route.
We don’t do repentance in the church.
We don’t do change.
Unless we’re prepared to get to grips with repentance, any preparations we make are only half hearted, scratching at the surface.
So much glitter and tinsel.
Icing on the cake instead of the richness underneath.
We’ve marketed the icing as the big prize and neglected the crafting of what is underneath, of what is foundational.
The bits that aren’t seen.
The bits that really make a difference because without their preparation and their solid grounding, the icing would have nothing on which to rest.
John’s unpopular message of repentance was needed to herald what was to follow.
Repent.
Turn around.
God’s kingdom is near.
Let’s stop papering over the cracks, covering up the flaws with icing.
Let’s look, with honesty at what lies beneath the image we imagine that we present to the world.
No matter how we package things, no matter how we ignore the gaping holes, we cannot keep on running from the call to change.
It’s a time to look with honesty beneath the surface of our preparation, to discern what needs changed, what needs turned around.
The paths that need straightened before the kingdom of God can come, before the Son of God can truly be born in this place.
It’s a time to accept the challenge of a call to play second fiddle, second fiddle to a God who’s full of surprises.
To acknowledge that there is much in us that needs to be levelled and smoothed out to enable us to be up to the challenge.
Jesus advent 2000 years ago heralded a whole new era.
As does his coming into the world today.
So it’s not just a case of dusting off last year’s decorations, or re-arranging last year’s cards.
It’s time to find a whole new way of doing and being.
It’s not something we can ever be familiar with or feel comfortable with.
There is too much at stake.
Mediocrity will not suffice.
Is that how we see God’s coming?
Or does it strike terror into us and not jut because of what we shall spend or how frantic we will be.
But terror, because God, who knows our hearts, comes in love, to turn us around and make us different.
No comments:
Post a Comment